President Buhari distributes 149 trucks of fertilizer to 11,345 victims of 2018 flood in Kebbi

 Olanrewaju Lawal, Birnin Kebbi

President Buhari was represented by the Kebbi State Governor,Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, who is also the Vice-Chairman of the National Food Security Council, flagged off the distribution of the items in Birnin Kebbi.

President Buhari explained that the distribution was part of the initiative of the council through the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).

“It is a very important day for us here in Kebbi. The support is for the farmers who had lost their crops in the 2018 flood. The President of the council, President Muhammadu Buhari in his wisdom created the council with aim at ensuring the sufficiency and security of our food in this country.

“The president graciously approved N23 billion for victims of all States affected by flood in order to cushion the effect of the losses they had encountered,” he said.

According to him, each of the victims will get nine bags of fertilizer, chemicals, chemical spraying machine and two bags of improved seeds.

he also warned that the government would not take it lightly on any person caught diverting the relief materials.

The governor charged all stakeholders including the media to monitor the distribution of the relief materials.

Earlier, Alhaji Mustapha Maihaja, the Director-General of NEMA, who was represented during the distribution by the Head of Account Unit, NEMA Sokoto Operations Office,  Abubakar Yusuf, said that the government would distribute 149 trucks of fertilizer to the 2018 flood victims in eight local government areas of the state.

“We had enumerated about 11,541 hectares affected by the flood in the eight local government areas of the state, with 11,345 affected victims.

“The areas are Gwandu, Aliero, Shanga,Kalgo,Birnin Kebbi, Randi, Bunza and Jega local governments.